As a society, we are so used to feeding our body, yet we never consider that we are also nourishing our brain. The gut and the brain are naturally linked, therefore everything we eat or drink can positively or negatively influence our brain. Our digestive system is responsible for not only providing the body and the brain with key nutrients from food and drink, but it also produces key hormones, that either enter, or are produced in the brain, that have an impact on our memory and cognitive function. Whether you want to optimize your nutrition during an exam season or stay sharp in your next work meeting, paying attention to your diet can really pay off.

In today’s article, we’re going to discuss the benefits of coffee consumption in our daily routine. By itself, coffee is a very-low-calorie beverage. In fact, 1 cup of brewed coffee has only 2 calories (say whaaat?). However, coffee only contains this tiny number of calories if you drink it black — without adding sugar, milk, or any other ingredients (ohh, nevermind).

Moreover, the caffeine in your morning cup of coffee might offer more than just a short-term concentration boost, it might also help solidify new memories. Coffee is a well-known concentration aid, the caffeine in it blocks a substance in the brain which makes a person feel sleepy. Beyond boosting alertness, a recent study suggests that caffeine may also increase the brain’s capacity for processing information (hellooo caffeine!)

Caffeine causes an increase in brain activity, so when activity is high, the brain can process more information. Also, we have to admit that coffee is a source of antioxidants, which may support brain health as we get older.

Five proven ways coffee does more good than harm, it may:

• Slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Help prevent Parkinson’s disease.
• Repel off dementia.
• Help you live longer.

Afterall, coffee is one of the best sources of neuroprotective antioxidants available. Simply said, “everything in the brain that isn’t made by the brain itself, is ‘imported’ from the food we eat.”